Hungary's Berlin film fest winner Enyedi to adapt novel

23 Feb 2017 - 19:55

Director Ildiko Enyedi receives the Golden Bear for Best Film On Body and Soul (REUTERS)

By Pablo Gorondi / Associated Press

BUDAPEST, Hungary: The Hungarian director whose "On Body and Soul" won the top award at the Berlin Film Festival says her next project is an adaptation of "The Story of My Wife," a 1942 novel by Hungarian writer and poet Milan Fust.

Director Ildiko Enyedi also said Tuesday that she welcomed the national film fund's support for her work and that of a wide range of Hungarian directors and writers, some of whose films have recently won prizes at international festivals. "Son of Saul" by Laszlo Nemes won the Oscar last year for best foreign-language film.

"I see an intelligent and wise strategy on part of the Film Fund in that they are motivated primarily by professional aspects to help the films," Enyedi said. "The creators are able to bring mature works to the table and that is very significant."

"On Body And Soul," a love story about two slaughterhouse workers who connect in shared dreams, is Enyedi's first feature film since 1999. It won the Berlin Film Festival's Golden Bear award on Saturday.

Enyedi has been critical of the cultural policies and perceived democratic shortfalls of Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government. She said that while her opinions had not changed, she regretted if they distracted from the success of the film.

"We've made a beautiful film for everyone ... and I wish we could enjoy what we have put so much work into," Enyedi said. "I don't think it's up to any culture policy to declare what is good or not."

Enyedi's film won several other prizes in Berlin, including one from the Ecumenical Jury she said was particularly meaningful.

"It means that we achieved our goal of reaching many different kinds of people," Enyedi said. "My mother is Lutheran, my father was Jewish, my husband is Catholic ... and our children are ecumenical in their very existence."